Electrical connector comprising a receptacle and cap having interlocking contacts



2,724,808 CEPTACLE Nov- 2. 1955 J. SCHMIER ELECTRICAL CONNECTORCOMPRISING A RE AND CAP HAVING INTERLOCKING CONTACTS Flled July 11 1952INVENTO R Jaggb Saw/er ATTO EY Z u w United States Patent ELECTRICALCONNECTOR COMPRISING A RE- CEPTACLE AND CAP HAVING INTERLOCKING CONTACTSJacob Schmier, Allentown, Pa., assignor to Rodaie Manufacturing Company,Inc, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 11, 1952, Serial No.298,384

2 Claims. (Cl. 339-76) My invention relates to a quick detachableelectrical connector of either the two or three wire type which may beused for carrying a heavy current load for household and commercialdevices such as electric dryers, or the like, or for industrial devicessuch as heavy power machinery.

The connector which forms the basis of this invention is one wherein thecap and receptacle are joined to each other by a straight insertion andthen locked together by a twisting motion relative to each other so thatit is necessary to give the parts a counter-twisting motion relative toeach other before they can be separated. This is to prevent separationof the parts which otherwise would cause the electric circuit to bedisrupted. Both the cap body and the receptacle body of my invention aremade entirely of soft rubber rather than of the usual rigid type ofresin, this soft rubber being less costly than a combination rubber anda rigid disc such as Bakelite inserted into the rubber.

It is an object of my invention to provide a quick detachable electricalconnector wherein the cap and the receptacle may be locked againstseparation by direct terminal engagament of each member while in use,and the body of insulation is unbreakable. H

Another object of my invention is to provide a quick detachableelectrical connector to prevent an accidental or casual strain fromdisconnecting the terminals.

Another object of my invention is to provide a quick detachableelectrical connector wherein only the electrical terminals interlock (l)to limit rotary motion and (2) to prevent the terminals from beingpulled apart in a rectilinear direction.

Another object of my invention is to provide a quick detachableelectrical connector wherein a twist of the terminals into contactposition locks the terminals (1) to limit rotary motion and (2) toprevent the terminals 0 from being pulled apart in a rectilineardirection.

Another object of my invention is to provide a quick detachableelectrical connector wherein the insulated portion of the connector ismade entirely of flexible, soft rubber which is relatively inexpensivewhen contrasted to connectors made of rigid resins and wherein thecontact terminals are directly interlocked.

Another object of my invention is to provide an electrical receptaclehaving a separable sleeve of unbreakable flexible rubber wherein thesleeve completely envelopes the receptacle terminals and wherein theseparable sleeve is attached or detached from the main body portion ofthe receptacle in order to provide for the ready attachment of aconductor to each terminal.

Another object of my invention is to provide a receptacle which is easyto wire by having an all flexible rubber insulated body and sleeve whichwill not crack, break or chip.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of thecharacter described that is easily and economically produced, which issturdy in construction, and which is highly effective in operation.

Patented Nov. 22, 1955 With the above and related objects in view, myinvention consists in the details of construction and combina ,tion ofparts, as will be more fully understood from the following description,when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an exploded view of the connector showing a cap, a receptacleinsulating sleeve and a receptacle separate from each other.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the receptacle before the insulatingsleeve is mounted thereon.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view showing the receptacle connected to thecap and showing the sleeve in outline.

Fig. 4 is a front end view of the receptacle.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a receptacle terminal.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawing wherein similar referencecharacters refer to similar parts. I show a quick connector comprisingan electrical cap, generally designated as A, which is adapted to beattached or connected to a complementary receptacle, generallydesignated as B. A flexible insulating sleeve of soft rubber, generallydesignated as C, may easily be attached or detached from the receptacleB, in order to easily attach the wires to the receptacle. The receptacleand the cap are adapted to be joined together to serve as electricalconductors in an electrical circuit.

The cap A comprises a cylindrical body 10 made of flexible insulatingmaterial such as soft rubber which is unbreakable. A plurality ofterminals, each designated D, have one of their ends connected to theunbreakable cap body by suitable bolts or screws (not shown) while theother end 12 which is free, serves as an electrical contact. The capterminals D are slightly arcuate in crosssection so that they provide agood electrical contact when turned. A flange hook portion 14 isprovided on the free end'of each of the terminals, these hook portions14 extending laterally from one edge of the terminal. Each of these hookportions is also arcuate and combines with its respective terminal toform a continuous arcuate surface, A soft rubber insulating cover 15closes the front end of the cap A.

The complementary receptacle B comprises a cylindrical body 16 made offlexible material such as unbreakable soft rubber, and a bore 18 extendscentrally therethrough for the purpose of allowing electrical lead wiresto pass through a bore in the receptacle body 16 and to be connected tobinding screws 19 provided in the electrical conducting holding plates20 set in the receptacle body. A plurality of electrical receptacleterminals, generally designated as E, corresponding in number andposition to the electrical terminals D are connected at one of theirends to the plate 20 and the other ends of these terminals are free andserve as electrical contacts. The terminal E has a main portion 21 andan olf-set portion 22 is formed on each of these free ends of eachterminal, and integral with but perpendicular to each off-set portion 22is a flange or hook portion 24; hence, the flange 24 extends from oneedge of the off-set portion of the terminal. A plurality of springmembers 26 are connected at one end to the receptacle body 16 and extendparallel with and adjacent to the terminals E, each spring member beingparallel with and adjacent to a respective terminal E.

The flexible rubber sleeve C is provided with a plurality oflongitudinal openings 28 which extend through the length of the sleeve,and these openings are adapted to receive the receptacle terminals E andtheir respective spring members 26 as the sleeve is connected to theplug body 16. This sleeve extends beyond the terminals E and springs 26,completely enclosing them and are adapted to completely enclose theterminals D when the cap A is connected to the plug B, thereby acting asan insulator for both sets of terminals. Suitable holding screws (notshown) passv through the sleeve to hold it to the plug body.

The sleeve C may be easily removed to wire the receptacle and. this isdone by removing the. holding screws, attaching the wires inplace, andthen re-attaching the sleeve,

In operation, the cap A is connected to receptacle B by inserting theterminals D between the terminals E and. the: springs 26, the springsacting to hold the terminals D against the/terminals- E, The cap is thenturned or twisted relative to the receptacle and, this causes hookportions, 14 and hook portions 24' to interlock so that neither the capnor the receptacle can. be pulled axially away from one another withouttwisting them so as to unlock the hook portions.

The flange 14 of terminal Dis adapted to engage the shoulder of flange24 of terminal E to prevent rectilinear pulling apartv of the capA andreceptacle B. The flange 24,, extending at right angles to the offset 22and being integrally formed therewith serves to, engage a side of themain body portion 12 of the terminal D to limit rotary action of theterminals D and E when the terminals are incontact engaging position.

The all flexible rubber plug and terminal to terminal locking contacts.possesses the following advantages: (1) is unbreakable; (2) is easier tomanufacture and assemble; (3.) is easier for the electrician to wire;and (4), carries a large current.

Although my invention has been described in considerable detail, suchdescription is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting,since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of theinvention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1, 'An electrical connector comprising a receptacle and a' cap, saidreceptacle having a body portion and a plurality of receptacleelectrical terminals, each of said receptacle terminals being connectedto said body portion and'having a free end, a plurality of capterminals, each of said cap terminals being connected to said cap andhaving a free end, a removable sleeve made of insulating materialsurrounding said receptacle terminals and detachably joined to said bodyportion, said sleeve extending beyond and enveloping said receptacleterminals and being adapted to envelop said cap terminals when said capis connected to said receptacle, each of said receptacle terminalshaving an ofl-set portion adjacent its free end and a right-angle flangeprojecting from said off-set portion, each of said cap terminals havinga flanged hook adjacent its free end and extending at right anglesthereto whereby the flanged hook is adapted to engage said flange onsaid receptacle terminal.

2. An electrical connector comprising a receptacle and a cap, saidreceptacle having a body portion and a plurality of receptacleterminals, each of said receptacle terminals being connected at one endto said body portion and having a free end, a plurality of capterminals, each of said cap terminals being connected at one end to saidcap and having a free end, a removable insulated sleeve havinglongitudinal slots therein, said sleeve surrounding said receptacleterminals extending beyond the free ends and being detachably connectedto said receptacle body portion, the longitudinal slots on said sleevebeing adapted to receive said cap terminals when said cap is connectedto said receptacle, each of said receptacle terminals having an off-setportion adjacent its free end and a right angle flange projectingtherefrom, a spring adjacent each of said receptacle terminals extendingparallel thereto and spaced therefrom, each of said cap terminals havingan arcuate hook adjacent its free end, said arcuate hook being adaptedto be engaged between said receptacle terminal and said spring when saidcap terminals are longitudinally inserted and twisted rotationallywithin said receptacle terminals.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,771,729 Hubbell, Jr. July 29, 1930 1,918,070 Watts July 11, 19332,002,558 Von Holtz -a May 28, 1935 2,123,422 Kautz July 12, 19382,281,739 Wright May 5, 1942 2,284,392 Heiser May 26, 1942 2,626,168Macy Jan. 30, 1953

